Cradle lock for cannon wagons



Dec. 16, .1947.

P. s.` STEVENS ET Ax. 2,432,974

CRADLE LOCK FR CANNON WAGONS Filed July 13, 1945 230 Fig'. l

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Paul l5. .Et EvEl-hs Patented Dec. 16, 1947 CRADLE LOCK FOR CANNONWAGONS Paul S. Stevens, M'lwaukee, and Morton Sundnes, South Milwaukee,Wis.

Application July 13, 1945, Serial No. 604,814

2 Claims. (Cl. 280-179) l This invention relates to means for securingartillery units and like heavy ordnance loads, upon transport Wagons,and in its present embodiment is particularly adapted to use in thesecurement of the cannon unit on the cannon wagon shown in a co-pendingapplication to Conlon et al., Serial No. 607,060, led July 25, 1945, forMobile heavy ordnance.

It has for an object to provide a simple rugged and eifective means forholding a supporting leg of the cannon Wagon of said co-pendingapplication in proper interlocking relation whereby shifting of the loadin any direction is prevented.

It is an especial object to provide means which will not require thelocation of a bolt immediately at either of the interlocking partsduring loading and unloading operations. A further aim is to present ameans for these purposes which will be `self-contained and inseparablefrom the wagon, but readily available for movement to and from operativeposition manually, and being of such construction as to avoid impedanceof loading and unloading operations, as well as avoiding possibility ofmisplacement of or damage to a screw fastening.

Additional objects, advantages, and features of the invention designedin novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved inthe embodiment of the invention, as will be understood from thefollowing description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the cannon wagon frame andcradle leg;

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the lock en.- gaged with portionsbroken away;

Figure 3 is a top View showing the position of the parts as in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front end view in an engaged position, the disengagedposition being indicated in dotted lines.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated aportion of the side member |52 of a cannon wagon frame, described insaid aforementioned application Serial No. 607,060, which is of boxgirder form, on the top side of which there is xed an anchor lug 230,having a recessed rearward side as at l extending transversely acrossthe lug, the upper side of which slopes upwardly and rearwardly. Thisforms a rearwardly projecting bill II at the top of the lug. The leg |49is formed with the foot block |49' at its rear side conforming to theshape of the recess I0 and adapted to t Asnugly therein when the cannonunit is at the rear limit of its sliding movement on the wagon frame,the leg A serving as a sliding support which rests on the frame forsupporting and guiding the cannon unit during loading and unloadingoperation, the members |52 at each side of the wagon frame thenconstituting a track-way upon which the cannon unit moves longitudinallyon to orfrom thewagon. The rear side of the lug 230 is formed with aspherical socket I2 for a purpose which will be explained.

On the outer-face of the side member |52 adjacent the lug 230 there ismounted a bracket I3, consisting of an elongated iiat base platearranged longitudinally of the Ywagon secured flat against the side faceof the member |52 and having at each end an outwardly projecting ear I4,one spaced a considerable distance rearwardly of the loaded position ofthe leg |49 and the other a short distance forwardly 0f the lug 230. Ahorizontal pivot pin |5 is set in these ears and has pivoted andlongitudinally slidable thereon a yoke member I6 which in operativeposition is U- shaped in plan, having a forward arm I'| adapted toextend over the side member |52 behind the base of the leg |49 at loadedposition, and a forward arm I8 adapted to extend inwardly over the sidemember |52 in a corresponding position before the lug 230, being ofsomewhat greater dimension longitudinally of the wagon than the arm I'Iand having engaged therethrough a binding screw I9 adapted to beprojected rearwardly from the arm a distance and into the socket I2 soas to draw the yoke forwardly and clamp the leg |49 and its foot block|49 against the lug 230. The screw has a nut head 20 which is alsoapertured to receive a rod tool for turning thereof, and forwardly ofthe arm I8 a lock nut 2| is engaged upon the screw and against the rearside of the arm I8.

In planes with each of the arms l1 and I8 and at right angles to thelatter, the yoke is provided with pivot ears 22 engaged revolubly andslidably around'the pin I5 and of such length as to support the yoke sothat its arms I'| and I8 may be swung through an arc of nearly intoposition over the top of the side member |52 and alternatively outwardlyand downwardly as denoted in Figure 4, close beside the side member |52,and obviously well below the top of the wagon frame.

It should be noted that the opposed faces of the arms I'| and |3 arespaced apart a distance substantially greater than the distance betweenthe rearward face of the foot block |49' of the leg and the forwardsurface of the lug 230, so that with the screw I9 retracted forwardlyWithin the arm I8, when the yoke is swung inward over the wagon frame itis free for reciprocation a distance longitudinally of the wagon framewith respect to the lug 230, and the ear I4 is widely spaced rearwardlyof the lug more than the thickness of the leg, permitting the front armof the yoke t engage against the front side of the lug 230 in case ofneed.

In thesuse yofV this device, in unloadedicondition, the screw |9lisfully retracted intovthefarm 'f8 and secured by the lock nut orotherwise so that loss is avoided and the space between the arms and |8fully cleared. The yoke may also hang free at the outer side of thewagon. Uponloading of the Wagon, the cannon unit having beenmovedslidably on the frame from the distant 'reareird of the latter until theleg |49 is close tdthelu'g 230 and nearly or quite in 'final engagedrelation to the lug, the yoke I6 is swung upwardly and Y inwardly, beingmoved rearwardly on th'e Fpin T5 so that the arm mayclear the leg |49 incase the latter is not fully engaged with the lug 4230. This -brings thearmsl'l and ||3 over the tfop "of the side member |52 with thescrewvl'Saligned with'the recess |2 and rearward arm-Irbehind the foot block ofthe leg. The lock nut-Zlfs now loosened vand the screw i9 screwedinwardly lso that its end engages in the recess1|2 andfdraws the yoke`It forwardly. Pressure ofthearml'l against the foot block |49thereuponlr-aws the latter forwardly into snug engagement? in therecess-IU of the lug'23, the bill then being'- engaged snugly over thefoot block |49eand holding the load against possibility-of `relativevertical movement on the wagon fra-me as well-aspreventing itslongitudinal movementin either direction. Lateral movement of theiloadis-prevented by guide means- |49 included on -the'lleg and tting withinthe side member1|52 as 'described in said (3o-pending application. Thelock nut 2| being tightened after thescrew is inproper bindingengagement with the 1ug230, the-lock'is ready'for travel.

For unloading-the reverse-operationsof the parts are carried out, and`will be understood without detailed description.

It will be understood that the construction and arrangement describedand illustratedfwhilepresenting the best embodiment of the invention.leg member attached to said load unit and slid- "able on said trackway,said leg member being so VVVicon''struc'ted'iand arranged for detachableinterfitting engagement with the said anchor and stop :.inemb'erforholding said leg member against relativeY movement transverse to saidtrackway, a U- '/sha'ped'.- yoke, l-means on the frame adjacent saidanchorand stop member for mounting said U- shape'd yoke for swinging andsliding movement whereby said yoke may be swung into operative positionrelative to said members to contain portions thereof; and means on saidU-'shapedfyoke adapted to Contact one of said members when said yoke` isin saidvoperative position for forcing said-members togetherintovintertting engagement witheach other.

*2. The structure of claim 1 inwhichf the means for mounting said yokemember comprisesa pivot piny arranged llongitudinally ofthe trackway andlaterally of said anchor'lugV clear of'theiloadingY prathof said unitand extended rearwardly ofthe lockingposition of said yoke the arms ofsaid yoke-being likewise spaced more than the distal faces ofV saidlegand anchor lug whenl in loaded relation; said yoke being pivoted and'slidavble'v on said'pin, and an extensible binding member on one arm ofthe yoke to engage the interposed parts when'the lyoke is in lockingPOSOH- PAUL s. STEVENS. MORTON SUNDNES.

l REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record-in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number lName Date E'2,336,869 Johnson Dec. 14,1943

